Picking a Genre

 After learning about film opening portfolio projects my group and I began to brainstorm different ideas for our opening and decided we wanted to make a light-hearted teen film. We're still deciding what we want our genre to be but we've landed on either romantic comedy or coming-of-age to capture that carefree vibe. 

Having previously researched coming-of-age for a previous blog post, I knew what to expect when looking into the genre further for this project. 

Characteristics for Coming-of-Age films

Coming of age films are driven by characters and their motivations. Characters are distinguished by their costume designs and setting, focusing on mise-en-scene to develop the characters, the world around them, and the story that evolves as they evolve.

Still from The Breakfast Club (1985)

The story in Coming-of-Age films focuses on the protagonist finding their place in the world and overcoming obstacles as they transition into adulthood. The characters need to be relatable and have distinct personalities, allowing the viewer to see themselves in the protagonists as they go through their journey and develop throughout the film.

Characteristics for Romantic Comedies

Romantic comedies are all about storytelling, mixing humor with romance and usually involving a meet-cute to introduce the two protagonists. The genre focuses on characters much like CoA films, and they are developed through their interaction with their environment and their relationship with each other. Soft and warm colors are typically used within the mise-en-scene, giving the films a cozy and nostalgic feeling as the characters feelings for each other grow deeper. Films of this genre rely heavily on dialogue and how the two main characters interact with each other.

Still from How to Lose a Guy in 10 days (2003)

A good rom-com works when the chemistry between the two leads feels real, making you want to root for them, even when they lean into clichés and certain film tropes. Blending humor and romantic scenes helps the characters feel real and provides development needed for film's story to progress.